Results of six climate change scenarios using SWAT are reported on hydrologic balance components, and nitrate, organic N, and sediment losses. Decreases in streamflow and increases in flood ? return periods were found for all scenarios. Annual N fluxes are reported to decrease.

Abstract:

This paper focuses on the regional impact of climate change on several critical water quantity and quality issues. The study area is the Ali Efenti Basin in central Greece. The soil and water assessment tool daily step conceptual model has been applied to simulate the water cycle and the nitrogen transport within the catchment. The outputs of six general circulation models have been used to perturb the time series of precipitation and temperature. For all of the scenarios a decrease in streamflow is observed and there is an increase in the magnitude of floods for certain return periods. Changes in surface water runoff influence nitrogen losses, resulting in an annual reduction of the nitrogen flux to the water body.